Where She Belongs
by x.Isabela.x
Summary: Her dad. His dad. The bitchy drama queen. These were just some of the reasons why Troy and Gabriella were at the brink of being torn apart just when their love had blossomed. Will they get through all of it...together? Troy&Gabriella. AU. New summary.
1. Chapter 1

_Where She Belongs_

**A/N:** Hello! This is my first full-length story and I really hope you guys enjoy it. I'm not sure how frequent updates will be - you know, with life and all -  
but just bare with me. Please read and review and please check out my other story, my one-shot collection titled _The Best Day._

**Disclaimer:** I wish! ;D

_

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Moving,_ again.

Just during the last five years Gabriella Montez had occupied seven different houses and had attended eight different schools. Of course her father was not too bothered by this; he and his job were the two main reasons for the constant moves. Gabriella never even recalled staying in one same place for just a year. She always had in mind that her father never really cared about how she felt, as long as he was either being promoted or receiving a better salary. He was so departed from his own daughter that Gabriella even dared to think that she did not have a place in his life; she felt like she did not exist.

But Gabriella gathered herself together. No, her father did love her – just maybe he didn't express it often, but he surely did – and what she was thinking was wrong. She pushed those thoughts back out of her mind and replaced them with ones of expectations for the prestigious new prepatory school her father had paid much money to enroll her in. Of course, she knew from experience that she'd once again be the new girl whom everyone treated shamefully. Gabriella had never had a real friend – mostly because she'd move just when someone would ask her to sit with them at lunch for the first time, or because Gabriella's so-called 'friends' had been more interested in her money than in Gabriella herself. At her new school it'd be no different.

Gabriella zipped open her duffel bag that was sitting on her lap and slipped out the pamphlet of the school. In sophisticated, loopy font _Northbrook Prepatory School _was written across the top, while pictures, school information and activities, and contact information were on the inside the pamphlet.

With an annoyed sigh, Gabriella stuffed the pamphlet hastily into her bag and was about to close it shut when a picture of Gabriella's mother came into sight. In the picture was Gabriella also, just as a one-year-old baby. Gabriella smiled solemnly before zipping the bag closed. Tears began to roll down her cheeks and she wiped them away quickly with her hand.

Maria Montez had died when Gabriella was just the mere age of three in a plane crash when she was returning from seeing her own mother during Thanksgiving. Gabriella had lived with her father since then, but still with her mother's memories in her heart.

Many things had changed when Maria had passed away. There were no more goodnight kisses, or Spanish lullabies, or magical, fairy tale bedtime stories. Her father was a businessman. He simply did not have time for Gabriella's make believe nonsense. He barely saw his daughter and instead Gabriella had grown accustomed to her babysitter. Now, at seventeen, Gabriella could take care of herself and no longer had a babysitter, so when her father was running late home from work or was on a business trip, she was alone. Someone else would have gone mad at the quiet in the house and the loneliness, with no one to talk to. But since Gabriella had lived in such a way for most of her life, it did not really bother her at all.

But, as she had tried to tell her father before many times, the constant switching of schools and houses and neighborhoods did. But he would never listen to her; he had always seemed more into earning good pay than his daughter. He'd do whatever he needed to become more successful in his business. Gabriella's father was oblivious to the fact that expensive material things couldn't cover up Gabriella's longing for her father to appreciate her.

Gabriella's head shot up as the car came to an abrupt stop. "We're here, sweetheart. Why don't you take in your things and look around the house while I help with the bigger boxes?" her father asked.

Gabriella just nodded and opened the car door. The sight that met her eyes was unlike any other she'd ever seen.

The house – or more like mansion – towered above her and stretched over a fairly sized portion of land. It had a Spanish feel to it; it had a beautiful roof made of clay shingles and large windows, many of which had small balconies. The outside of it was just as impressive. Different types of colorful flowers made up the perimeter of the house and filled the window boxes and flowerpots. Gabriella hadn't expected _anything_ like it.

Her dad seemed pleased, as always when he spent his money for leisure. "You like it? Cost me a good sum, but any other house just wouldn't do."

Gabriella inwardly sighed disappointingly. Why spend so much useful money on a house that, from experience, Gabriella knew they weren't going to live in for over a year?

_Don't mind him, Gabriella. It's his possession and he can use it in the way he wants to, whether you think it's a good way or not._ She continued to carry her things inside and then helped her father with the boxes. Unpacking was going to take a while.

--

"So, Gabriella, some of my other co-workers have children who are going or have gone to Northbrook, and I've gotten nothing but positive reviews of the school," Gabriella's father, Marcus, said as he finished off his dinner, taking a sip of his wine. "They have an excellent curriculum and great extracurricular activities. I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy. And many kids from this very neighborhood attend Northbrook. I'm positive you'll have plenty friends by tomorrow."

_Yeah, only because I happen to have money,_ Gabriella thought as she rested her head in her palm and held it up with her elbow. _Why would anyone want to be my friend for anything else but that?_

She walked over to the kitchen sink and set her plate in it before making her way to her dad and giving him a hug. He rarely ever gave her a kiss and to Gabriella's surprise, she was okay with that. Even when she just hugged him it felt awkward.

Gabriella then retreated to her room, which, when she saw it a few hours earlier, she fell in love with it. A four-post bed stood high in the middle of the room, then to the left side of it was the adjoined bathroom. The bedroom also had a grand bookshelf – Gabriella's must-have accessory – a dresser apart from the walk-in closet, and a desk where Gabriella set up her laptop before anything else. Across from the bed was a sort of living area, where Gabriella had large pillows scattered around the floor facing her French doors leading to the balcony. For Gabriella, her bedroom was pure bliss.

Before climbing into bed, Gabriella took the picture of her mother and her and placed it on the nightstand beside her. "I love you, Mami," she whispered quietly, before turning off her lamp and resting her head on her pillow.

_Who knows? Maybe Northbrook won't be so bad after all._

Gabriella listened to the silence for a few moments before giggling to herself.

_Yeah, right._

--

"A uniform? You've got to be kidding me," Gabriella groaned to herself as she reread the note her father had placed on top of a gray pleated skirt, a hunter green polo shirt and a black sweater, bearing the emblem of Northbrook Prepatory School. Her father hadn't mentioned anything about a uniform.

Why did she have to go to freaking Northbrook Prep anyway? She'd always been in public school and she'd been doing perfectly well; why did her dad spend money for her to go to this snobby, stuck-up rich kid school when he could use the tuition money to buy something else, like, a new car, or something he would use for his entertainment?

Gabriella tilted her head back and moaned when she saw the time. She had exactly forty-five minutes to get to Northbrook or she'd be late on her first day.

She showered and got dressed, applied light makeup, and left her hair down in its natural curls. Picking up an energy bar and her bag from the kitchen table, she walked out the door and was about to leave on foot when she saw a piece of paper flapping from between the windshield wipers of her dad's…Audi.

Gabriella slowly folded open the note and almost screamed when she read it. Her dad was letting her take the Audi?

Gabriella knew that he trusted her. She'd gotten her license and was a careful driver. But the _Audi?_ It couldn't be. There was no way…

Gabriella checked her watch, then, with a look of remorse, but happiness also, she climbed into the Audi and pulled out of the long driveway, following the pamphlet's instructions to the school.

Gabriella was pleased when she arrived at the school a good fifteen minutes early. It had only been about a five-minute drive. No wonder many kids from her neighborhood went there.

As she stepped out of the car, some boys passing by her whistled jokingly. Great. She had only been at Northbrook for, like, less than two minutes and she had already drawn attention to herself. Gabriella wasn't one to do well in large crowds, especially when she was the center of it.

Taking a deep breath, she asked a girl passing by her who seemed nice directions to the main office – but as Gabriella walked away she swore she heard snickers behind her.

She got settled in after visiting the office doing such things like memorizing her class schedule and searching for things to help her remember the different classrooms. The campus size didn't help much; Northbrook felt like a college.

Before entering her homeroom, Gabriella silently prayed that everything would work out for the best, and she whispered, "I love you," to her mom, who she was sure was taking care of her and watching over her.

Gabriella kept her eyes secured on the floor as she walked into the classroom, but she could feel pairs of eyes burning into her back as she took a seat in the far right corner of the classroom.

Gabriella really didn't notice when the teacher walked in and started the class. She couldn't look up. For all she knew her new classmates weren't listening to their teacher either but staring curiously at the _new girl._

The bell rang after what felt like hours of torture and Gabriella was the first one out of the classroom. She had managed to glance at some of the girls in her class, and all she noticed were Gucci handbags and other designer brand accessories.

Finding her locker and taking out the necessary book for her next class, Gabriella rushed through crowds of students so she could arrive early and before most of the other students. But she wasn't paying too much attention and stumbled, her book and papers falling to the floor. Surprisingly, though, she didn't.

_Great, my plan for _not_ bringing attention toward me is definitely_ not_ working,_ she thought, keeping her eyes shut. She felt something suspending her – whatever it was, it must have kept her from crashing to the floor, too.

"You okay?" a husky voice asked from behind her.

_Oh, my God,_ Gabriella thought. That voice. It was a _guy._

She opened her eyes slowly, and to her relief, not a lot of people had noticed the small trip Gabriella had taken. She felt her savior's arm slip from her waist and pick up her book while she nervously gathered her papers and slipped them into her folder.

"Here, this is yours."

Gabriella's breath hitched in her throat as her gaze met his. The boy's cerulean eyes – Gabriella had to admit – were the most breath-taking ones she'd ever seen. His honey-golden hair fell just above his eyes, contrasting with the blue. He was definitely athletic; his perfectly toned abs kind of stuck out beneath his polo shirt.

In Gabriella's opinion, he was freaking _gorgeous._ And maybe the Northbrook uniform wasn't that bad.

She gingerly took the book and wrapped her arms around it, not daring to even look into his eyes again, fearing she'd make a fool of herself in front of him.

He chuckled and winked, which made Gabriella's knees go weak. Could he be any more perfect? "I haven't seen you around before. You must be new here. I'm Troy. Troy Bolton." He extended his hand out for Gabriella to take.

She hesitated at first, but then slowly reached to shake his hand. As they made the slightest contact, Gabriella felt a rush of electricity shoot through her like she'd never experienced before – and it felt good.

"Yo, hoops?"

Gabriella saw Troy nod and then he removed his hand from hers. "I have to go. See you around?"

Gabriella stared amazed at him, wide-eyed. She couldn't speak, so she just nodded. She saw him smile – another thing that sent her knees tumbling – and he walked away.

She watched him for a few seconds before remembering her goal to get to class before most of her classmates. Gabriella briskly walked away and turned at a corner, unaware that blue-eyed Troy Bolton had turned back to find her, since he hadn't even gotten her name.

--

"How was your day?" Marcus asked when he arrived home at almost eight-thirty and found Gabriella sitting in the kitchen, engrossed in a romance novel.

She looked up from her book. "Fine," she answered, and then resumed to read.

Marcus set his briefcase on the granite counter top. "Homework done?"

Gabriella wanted to respond,_ "Why would you care?", _but bit her tongue and just said, "Yep."

"Good," her father said, picking up his dinner plate and sitting down at the table.

Gabriella closed her book, careful to save her spot. "Um…I think I'm going to take a shower and head off to bed."

"Alright. Good night."

Gabriella didn't bother to hug him this time. "Good night, Dad."

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**A/N:** Hope you liked it! Review, please! ;D -Isabela.


	2. Chapter 2

_Where She Belongs_

**A/N:** All I can say is thank you for reading and reviewing my story, and enjoy this chapter! ;D

**Disclaimer:** I really, really wish Zac Efron was mine! I totally do. But, he, sadly, is not. :(

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The following day at Northbrook, students were already piling into the school much earlier than usual. At a table under a shading tree just outside of the school, Sharpay Evans sat with her legs crossed and her Sidekick in her hands. Her two friends, Alicia and Charlotte, mimicked her and giggled every now and then.

"So, Sharpay, have you found a dress yet for the winter dance?" Alicia asked, glancing at Sharpay for a second before reading a text.

Sharpay shook her head. "Not yet. But we've still got plenty of time, girls. The dance isn't in weeks."

Charlotte put her phone down and looked at her manicured nails. "We should go together to shop for the dresses."

Alicia nodded. "Yeah, are you free this Saturday?"

"Sorry, this Saturday won't do," Sharpay said. "But I promise we'll go when I'm available."

"So, has Troy asked you yet?" Alicia questioned. "You two are going together, right?"

Sharpay laughed. "Of course. He hasn't asked me yet, though."

Alicia gasped. "He hasn't?"

Sharpay slid her phone shut and tucked it into her purse. "No, but poor Troy's been busy."

Charlotte smirked. "Yeah, too busy flirting with the transfer," she mumbled.

Sharpay raised her eyebrows. "What did you say, Charlotte?"

"Nothing," she replied.

--

Gabriella sighed as she parked the car and stepped out onto the student parking lot. Her first day hadn't been so bad – it had been the usual, quiet, invisible new girl day. Especially when she had her little trip going up the stairs and a certain blue-eyed boy had stopped her fall.

She smiled at the thought of when Troy had wrapped his arms around her waist and when he had smiled and winked at her. Gabriella had to admit that he was definitely attractive. But he hadn't shown any real interest in Northbrook's newest student. Gabriella shook her head to clear her thoughts as she stopped at her locker.

As she was about to shut it, she saw a group of guys – apparently jocks – coming down the hallway. Leading them was Troy, which was no real surprise to Gabriella. It was only her second day but she had already figured out that Troy was Northbrook's golden boy – the cheerleaders in the girl's locker room had pretty much given that away.

Gabriella stared at him as he came closer to her. Then his eyes connected with hers, and Gabriella blushed and looked away. She glanced upward and noticed that he was still watching her. Gabriella quickly turned around and hurried to her homeroom.

--

Troy paused as he spotted who he had been looking for since yesterday. There she was, just as beautiful as Troy remembered her from yesterday. Her dark chestnut eyes, her raven curls, and her olive skin – he departed himself from his friends and was about to walk up to her when she turned around and left. He followed her around the corner, but lost her in between the other students. He sighed and went back to his friends. Troy guessed that getting her name would have to wait.

--

Gabriella held her books close to her as she entered her Organic Chemistry classroom. She recognized a few of her classmates from yesterday, but she knew that they had no idea who she was. Gabriella took a seat in the back of the classroom and flipped through her notes she had taken from the previous day's lesson.

She had been reading for just a few minutes when an African-American girl came and took the available seat next to her. She set her books neatly on her desk before she noticed Gabriella beside her.

"Hello," she said, opening her book to the corresponding page, "Taylor McKessie, chem. Club president. And you are?"

Gabriella smiled shyly. "I'm Gabriella Montez."

"Huh, Montez," Taylor responded. "Your dad's the one who cut down all those trees in South America in the Amazon just to sell the land and make a profit." Taylor pursed her lips. "Wasteful, if you ask me, but, I'm not one to judge."

Gabriella looked away and rested her chin in her hand, propping it up with her elbow. _Great, now I'm the new girl with the planet-hater_ _of a father,_ she thought.

For the rest of the class, Gabriella didn't look at anything besides the floor. Maybe being the invisible type hadn't been that bad at all.

--

Gabriella turned around as she felt someone tap her shoulder as she paid for her lunch. It was Taylor.

"Care to join me for lunch?" she asked, and Gabriella nodded. The two girls took their lunches outside and tried to find a table. All were filled except one.

"Look, let's go to that one over there," Gabriella said. She began to walk to the table conveniently located in a shady area, but Taylor stopped her and shook her head.

"There's a reason why that table's empty," Taylor warned. "Everyone knows that that's Sharpay Evans' table. No one except her and her posse sit there."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "Sharpay Evans?"

"Total drama queen, your typical popular type," Taylor explained. "But, you mess with her and you get kicked in the ass."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. She had dealt with at least one of these types of people in all her other different schools. "It's not like she owns the table. It's school property. She doesn't have the right to claim it as her own." Gabriella glanced at the table. "I'm going to sit at that table and eat my lunch. It's your decision whether you join me or not."

Taylor looked at Gabriella, expressionless. "Okay. Good luck," she said, and left.

Gabriella walked over and sat at the table, ignoring the shocked faces that were staring at her. She began to eat and everything was quiet, but then the whispers resumed as Sharpay Evans came walking toward her table. Everyone watched as Sharpay stood in front of her accustomed seat, and realized that it was currently occupied.

"Um, excuse me?" she said, placing her hands on her hips and cocking her head to the side.

Gabriella smiled normally. "Um, I think not. This is public property. Anyone can sit at this table. It's not like you paid for it, anyway."

Sharpay widened her eyes at this newcomer. Who did she think she was, talking back to her like that? Anyone else would have already cowered away from her. But this_ girl,_ she just sat there as if Sharpay was just like the rest of them.

Sharpay narrowed her eyes dangerously at Gabriella. It looked like she was just about to hit Gabriella when Troy called from a nearby table.

Both Sharpay and Gabriella turned their heads to stare at him. He motioned for Sharpay to come over and sit at his table. Sharpay instantly forgot about Gabriella and strutted over to Troy.

Gabriella watched as Sharpay sat in his lap and kissed his cheek. She felt something in her when she saw it that made her want to go to Sharpay and have a little word with her. It almost felt like Gabriella was envious of Sharpay with Troy.

Taylor hurried to Gabriella and pulled her by the arm. "Whoa," she breathed, "you just shot Sharpay Evans down. No one has ever even dared to do that before."

Gabriella took her arm out of Taylor's grip and grabbed her lunch. She walked quickly into the school – with Troy watching her the entire time.

--

After school, Gabriella decided to start an essay due for next week in the library. It's not like she had anything better to do at home. Her dad had left just this morning for a business trip and wouldn't be flying back until Friday. Gabriella had the house all to herself. Usually that would seem like a good thing to anyone else. But it wasn't to Gabriella.

Gabriella took a break about half an hour into writing. She put her pen down and glanced around to rest her eyes, when she caught a glimpse of him.

Troy was two or three aisles away, flipping the pages of a book, probably for his own essay. Gabriella watched as he shut the book and put it back in its rightful spot on the bookshelf, then took another one and skimmed its pages. He sighed and turned around, facing Gabriella. He hadn't noticed her yet.

Gabriella shook her heard and resumed to write. Every now and then she would look up and see if Troy had seen her yet. A few more glances passed before Troy met Gabriella's gaze. She quickly ducked her head and pretended not to have noticed. But she did.

How could she not notice those bright azure eyes under those caramel locks, and those perfect lips? Gabriella had to admit it. The cheerleaders had a reason to make Troy Bolton all they talked about. Gabriella would definitely not mind doing so herself.

Gabriella tensed up as she felt him walking toward the table she was sitting at. He pulled a seat and sat across from her, flashing her a smile. Gabriella didn't look at him at all.

"Hi," she heard him say.

She looked up and him and tried not to smile. "Hey," she responded back.

"So, what you did at lunch today, that was pretty brave," Troy chuckled. "Sharpay can be a total bitch sometimes."

Gabriella stared at him. "I thought you two were together," Gabriella admitted slowly.

Troy laughed. "Yeah, like I'd ever date her. She's way too fake for me."

Gabriella forced a giggle. "Oh. Right," she said. "Then why'd you tell her to sit with you at lunch?"

"I did that to save your butt," Troy grinned. Gabriella smiled. "You're welcome."

Gabriella laughed. "Thanks."

"No problem. Um," Troy stuttered, "I didn't catch your name yesterday."

"Oh, I'm Gabriella," she said.

He smiled. "Gabriella."

She almost fainted when he said her name. It sounded so right coming from his mouth.

"Gabriella what?" Troy asked.

Gabriella stacked her essay papers together and slid them into a folder. "Montez."

Troy instantly froze. "_Montez?_"

Gabriella eyed Troy curiously. "Yes. Gabriella Montez."

Troy stared at her and sighed. "You've got to be kidding me. Your last name can't be Montez. It just can't."

Gabriella stared at him, confused. "Why not?"

Troy sighed. The rest of the year wasn't going to go according to plan.

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**A/N:** Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a review and tell me what you think! ;D .x


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